Department of Neurosciences, Institute of Human Anatomy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Musculoskeletal Pathology and Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedics and Orthopaedics Oncology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
J Anat. 2018 Aug;233(2):146-154. doi: 10.1111/joa.12820. Epub 2018 May 14.
The infrapatellar pad, a fibro-adipose tissue with peculiar microscopic and mechanical features, is gaining wide attention in the field of rheumatological research. The purpose of this descriptive review is to summarize the most recent published evidence on the anatomic, physiologic and biomechanical inter-relationship between the infrapatellar fat pad and the knee synovial membrane. As an extrasynovial tissue, the infrapatellar fat pad does not directly interact with the articular cartilage; based on its location in close contact with the synovial membrane, and due to the metabolic properties of adipose tissue, it may influence the behavior of the synovial membrane. In fact, considering evidence of macroscopic and microscopic anatomy, the infrapatellar fat pad is the site of insertion of the infrapatellar and medial synovial plicae. Also biochemically, there is much evidence highlighting the interaction among these two structures; in the case of inflammation, the mutual interplay is ascribable to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators stimulating the proliferation of inflammatory cells and promoting tissue modifications in both. All these assumptions could support the emerging idea that the infrapatellar fat pad and the synovial membrane may be considered a morpho-functional unit.
髌下脂肪垫是一种具有特殊微观和机械特征的纤维脂肪组织，在风湿学研究领域受到广泛关注。本描述性综述的目的是总结髌下脂肪垫与膝关节滑膜之间解剖、生理和生物力学相互关系的最新发表证据。作为一种关节外组织，髌下脂肪垫不会直接与关节软骨相互作用；基于其与滑膜紧密接触的位置，以及脂肪组织的代谢特性，它可能会影响滑膜的行为。事实上，根据宏观和微观解剖学的证据，髌下脂肪垫是髌下和内侧滑膜襞的插入部位。此外，从生化角度来看，有大量证据强调了这两种结构之间的相互作用；在炎症情况下，这种相互作用归因于释放促炎介质，刺激炎症细胞的增殖，并促进两者的组织改变。所有这些假设都可以支持一个新兴的观点，即髌下脂肪垫和滑膜可能被视为一个形态功能单元。
